This is not some grand reinvention, but it is a meaningful shift all the same: Henry Davis is set to start at catcher and bat ninth Wednesday against Atlanta, and the timing matters because the job now looks like his to handle through the All-Star break.
That change comes with Endy Rodriguez moving to the 10-day injured list, which leaves the Pirates with a clear short-term answer behind the plate. Davis had already started behind the plate in two of the Pirates' previous three games, so this is less of a surprise than a confirmation. Still, confirmation is what counts in baseball when the catching duties are this demanding and the lineup spot is this unforgiving.
A steady chance, not a clean breakout
There is definitely a case for patience with Davis. Since the beginning of June, he has put up a.758 OPS over 17 games, which at least suggests some offensive life after a rougher season line of.155/.250/.323. That is not the profile of a bat anyone wants to overhype, but it is enough to justify another run in a regular role.
The problem is that the catcher position does not forgive much. If Davis is going to hold the starting job through the All-Star break, he needs to do more than simply look competent for a few games. He has to show that the Pirates can live with the defensive and lineup trade-offs that come with him batting ninth and taking on the primary workload.
For now, though, the path is obvious. The Pirates need a catcher, Atlanta is next, and Davis is the one getting the call. It is a straightforward baseball decision, but one that could say a fair amount about where the Pirates think he stands at this point: not finished, not fixed, but trusted enough to keep running with the job.
